Samsung Galaxy Mega Phablet Debuts

Samsung's newest device earns its name with many features of its Galaxy S4 on an oversized screen.

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Samsung introduced on Monday the Galaxy Mega, the newest phablet to hit the market.

"The Galaxy Mega combines exceptional features from the Samsung Galaxy smartphone family with a 6.3-inch screen, making it an optimal device for movies, books, music and games," said Nick DiCarlo, VP of product planning and marketing at Samsung, in a statement.

The Mega largely resembles the Galaxy S4, and the two share similar features. Users can customize the lock screen and quickly access settings from the drop-down notification bar. Other features include Air View, which allows users to preview emails and photos by hovering a finger an inch above the screen, and WatchON, which lets users control a television with the smartphone.

It also includes Multi Window, which allows users to use multiple apps on the same screen, a feature that is enhanced with the phone's 6.3-inch LCD (720 x 1280) display. S Translator provides quick and easy translations, and ChatON lets users share their screens with others.

The rear-facing 8-megapixel camera comes with numerous shooting modes such as Panorama and Sound & Shot. The Story Album feature lends itself to quick photo album creation on the go.

The Mega will run Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) and be powered by a 1.7-GHz dual-core processor. It has 1.5 GB of RAM, but users can store additional music, photos and videos with up to 64 GB of expendable storage with an external microSD card. A 3,200-mAh removable battery should allow the phone to run throughout the day on a single charge.

A number of protective options will be available for the Mega, including the S-View flip cover, which is designed with a clear window to answer calls or check battery life. The Protective Cover + fits around the device to protect against falls. Cases will be sold separately and come in a variety of colors.

In comparison with other phablets, the Mega earns its name. It is wider and taller than the Galaxy Note 2's 5.5-inch screen and Galaxy S4's 5-inch screen, and is most comfortably held with two hands, as described by Engadget. Its massive screen lends itself to reading or watching videos, but will likely make phone calls and pocket storage uncomfortable. Because it is an S phone, it doesn't come with the S Pen stylus that accompanies the Galaxy Notes.

Available colors for the Mega will include Nova Black and Polaris White. Samsung has confirmed that AT&T, Sprint and US Cellular will carry the device, and AT&T announced that it will be available Friday for $24 per month with AT&T's Next plan, or $149.99 with a traditional two-year agreement.

"It has 1.5 GB of RAM, but users can store additional music, photos and videos with up to 64 GB of expendable storage with an external microSD card." RAM is not the same thing as Storage Space. The Mega has 16GB of storage space.

I have been researching tablets for a couple of weeks now. I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 so I am inclined to like the brand. But one turn off from all of their tablets is the resolution. It seems that any media device should support at least 1920x1080 to support HD video. Some have higher resolutions which doesn't seem that necessary, but the HD frame should be the minimum for a new device.

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